The Arab Blockade of Israel
RA'ANAN, URI
European companies which defy the threat continue to prosper The Arab Blockade of Israel Jerusalem The West German Federal Republic is now passing the halfway mark in fulfillment of its...
...This stand by their government has encouraged West German firms to adopt a similar attitude...
...Israel feels more can be accomplished through making the world aware of the harm being done by those who honor the boycott...
...Indeed, the only major concern against which the Arabs carried out at least some of their threats, the Pilot Radio Corporation, found a far more flourishing market in Israel, The Arab blockade also has its ironies...
...Jewish veterans' organizations in Australia and the United States even discussed organizing campaigns to urge their friends and business acquaintances to transfer from Shell to other oil companies...
...European companies which defy the threat continue to prosper The Arab Blockade of Israel Jerusalem The West German Federal Republic is now passing the halfway mark in fulfillment of its Reparations Agreement with Israel...
...When the Shell Oil company announced the termination of its activities in Israel because its managers feared Arab "reprisals," there were repercussions in various parts of the world...
...This has particularly contributed to the prosperity By Uri Raanan now enjoyed by heavy industry, for German shipyards have produced 16 merchant vessels and liners and a floating dock for Israel...
...the Renault motor company has seized first place in French automobile production, while the Simca company's output is steadily decreasing...
...The latter belief has led Jerusalem officials to launch an extensive research project on the effects of the blockade...
...At the same time, the Arab states themselves are suffering because of the blockade, as is shown by the Iraqi loss of 100 million pounds sterling because the Kirkuk-Haifa oil line has been cut...
...Direct reprisals against the companies playing along with the Arabs have also been ruled out...
...In contrast, Simca, which submitted to the boycott, lost its Israeli market without any Arab "compensation" and suffered a serious recession...
...They clearly indicate, too...
...On the surface these facts may seem completely unrelated, but they all illustrate various aspects of the Arab blockade against Israel...
...Nevertheless, all this does not balance the hardship the blockade has caused Israel...
...At the same time, West German industry has been able to market more than a million tons of goods worth S325 million in Israel...
...that submission could result in the firms concerned losing more business and good will than the Arabs can possibly supply...
...In addition, Arab agriculture has lost a natural market in Israel, which always consumed large quantities of Arab-grown fruit, vegetables and cereals...
...When completed, this will be widely circulated...
...The above are the first signs that the blockade will no longer be automatically tolerated in many parts of the world...
...Consequently, revolutionary developments have taken place in the field of agriculture, guaranteeing almost complete self-sufficiency in many respects and greatly enhancing the country's security...
...bid during the Sinai war, when Secretary of State Dulles thought halting the flow of German goods to Israel would make it more "pliable...
...For example, West Germany has refused to bow to Arab pressure—including the threat of East Germany's recognition by Arab governments— against continuation of reparations payments to Israel...
...In France, the Renault works refused to heed Arab demands and continued with plans for the completion of its cars at a sister plant in Israel...
...the Shell Oil company has announced cancellation of its marketing and distributing activities in Israel...
...Once aware of the facts, officials here feel, private individuals, organizations and even governments in the countries where companies are supporting the blockade will be able to take more effective steps against it than Israel herself...
...For while Israel has suffered, grave economic damage, it has also been forced to rely upon its own ingenuity...
...More important, Germany has established a permanent major market, since Israel will have to order spare parts and replacements long after reparations are completed...
...A counter-boycott has been ruled out, not only because of the disparity between the size and resources of the Arab world and Israel, but because it would violate the very laws Israel seeks to have upheld...
...Not only did it emerge unscathed, but today it heads the French motor industry and its sales to the Middle East are constantly increasing...
...What is being done about it...
...In fact, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer rejected a similar U.S...
...As a result, West German trade with the Arab world has more than doubled in a short time, no Arab country has recognized the East German regime, and none of the companies trading with Israel has suffered any serious Arab reprisals...
...Iraq's Minister of Economics has announced that the drying up of the Kirkuk-Haifa pipeline has cost his country over 100 million pounds sterling in revenue...
Vol. 40 • November 1957 • No. 47
